PAUL HUNTER FROM SOUTH SHIELDS SENTENCED FOR ABUSE AND RAPE OF YOUNG GIRL IN CUMBRIA

In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of South Shields and the wider North East region, Paul Hunter, aged 31, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being convicted of heinous crimes involving a young girl. The court heard that Hunter, a resident of Marshall Wallace Road in South Shields, subjected a girl under the age of 10 to repeated sexual abuse over a period of two years. The abuse included oral rape and other sexual assaults, actions that have left the victim profoundly traumatized.

During the sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court, the victim, now over 16 years old, bravely provided a detailed account of how Hunter’s actions have devastated her life. She described persistent nightmares where she relives the assaults, often feeling as if Hunter is still present. She explained that she experiences flashbacks triggered by specific scents, such as aftershave that Hunter used, and that these memories cause her to shut down emotionally, often zoning out during the day. The young woman also revealed her ongoing struggles with paranoia, especially when left alone at home, and her distress when watching television programs related to similar cases, which she finds upsetting to the point of needing to turn off the TV.

The victim expressed her feelings about the impact of Hunter’s crimes, stating, “This nightmare has affected me and my life in so many ways. Most nights I had nightmares he was raping or watching me. I have flashbacks of him raping me and the flashbacks can make me shut off and I zone out a lot of the time. If I smell aftershave like he wore I get flashbacks. I’m paranoid when I’m left in the house by myself and when I watch TV and it has a related case or situation I have to turn it off because it’s really upsetting. Men with red hair or white men called Paul give me massive warning signs. I hate that it’s done this to me. I don’t want people to pity me or think of me as a victim.”

Hunter’s criminal history includes a previous conviction from March 2010, when he was found guilty of raping a five-year-old girl in Cumbria. At that time, Hunter, then 20 years old and residing on Reed Street in South Shields, was warned by Judge Paul Batty that a long custodial sentence was inevitable. Hunter maintained his innocence during the trial, claiming he had not molested the young girl. However, the five-year-old victim provided evidence via video link, describing how Hunter made her perform a sexual act on him and told her not to tell anyone, claiming it was a “secret.”

Following the recent conviction, Newcastle Crown Court sentenced Hunter to eleven years in prison, with an extended license period of an additional five years. The court’s decision underscores the severity of his crimes and the lasting impact on his victims. Hunter’s actions have not only caused immense suffering to the young girl he abused but have also contributed to ongoing concerns about the safety of children in the South Shields area and beyond.